SANTI'S POV
At this point I had no idea what happened. It wasn't normal that out of nowhere, Jessica turned pale like she was at that moment and left like she did. As far as I knew she was fine until now, I'm worried I said something that would upset her or that she'll come back with the headaches the coffee guy talked about.
"What's wrong with Jessica?" Miky asked. "I have no idea." I responded, trying to understand what happened a few moments ago. "I better go see if she needs anything."
With that, Miky left the kitchen in search of Jessica and I stood there trying to understand what had happened, but I couldn't make sense of anything, so I started picking up the glass from the floor to prevent anyone from getting hurt.
"Can you explain to me what just happened here?" Carla asked and I shrugged my shoulders, because I had no idea what happened. "I would be happy to explain it to you if I knew what happened, Carla." I said sincerely, "Do you think she's okay?" Our best friend asked, looking in the direction the two had gone. "Well, I hope so, because if not, I don't know what I'm going to do."
"I know you're worried Santi, but I don't want you to get sick, you'll see how everything will be fine." She said, leaving her hand on my arm. "I hope so." I continued cleaning with Carla's help and after a while both Miky and Madison arrived in the kitchen, but there's no sign of Jessica, which made me worry more than I already am.
"And Jessica?" I asked, still worried. "She's coming now." Miky responded quite calmly. "Did she tell you what happened to her?" Carla asked this time. "No, she says she's fine even though she's pale." He said "But that's not normal, out of nowhere she got like this."
"I know, it could be she was disoriented or had a cramp, she didn't want to tell me and I highly doubt she will." the boy responded, shrugging his shoulders, "Why don't you sit down to eat? You must be hungry and remember in a couple of hours we have to leave, Carla." I said, looking in her direction. "Sometimes I hate work, really."
"Now you put up with it because it's what you wanted." I responded, laughing, "And I still love it." Carla protested. "I know, take care of the kids." I said "Where are you going?" our best friend asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not leaving the apartment if that's what's worrying you. I'll be back in a bit." I assured, "You're going to go with her, right?" She asked and I nodded with a smile on her face. "If you know, I don't know why you're asking."
"Also true." With that I left the kitchen and headed towards where Miky left a while ago. In the background I heard someone telling me she's in the bathroom, the door on the right. As soon as I arrived, I was going to check on her, but the door opens and reveals a smiling Jessica, which doesn't make sense, considering how she left a couple of minutes ago.
"Jess…" I began, "I'm sorry it took me so long, I didn't mean to worry you." She replied calmly "Are you okay?" I asked "Yes, why do you ask?" She questioned "Because you didn't seem that way before." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Well, I'm fine. Now why don't we go eat? I'm sure you have a lot of things to do before the concert."
"As you wish." This is weird, the way Jessica is acting didn't make sense. She had already walked past me with a big smile on her face, while I stood in front of the bathroom door trying to understand what the hell is happening to Jessica, because, really, I don't understand anything.
"Santi, are you coming?" my former girlfriend asked, turning slightly in my direction. "Yes, I'm going" Jessica continued on her way while I thought about what could have happened to her before to make her turn pale, but I decided to stop thinking about it at least for a while, because otherwise I would go crazy trying to figure out what's happening to her.
During the meal it was all laughter and Jessica seemed to be fine, so I tried to forget about what happened a while ago. When we finished, we went to the stadium where Carla's concert would be, mostly because she had things to do and the kids wanted see, so it wasn't very difficult to convince Jessica to come too. Once there, Carla began to prepare what she hadn't prepared in the morning and I went to the sound table to check everything is okay.
I was so distracted checking and testing the tracks that when I look up, I don't see Jessica anywhere, but I know she didn't leave because the kids were there next to Carla who's doing sound check.
"Jackson, take care of this." I said and the size of his eyes increased by two. "Are you really going to leave me alone?" He asked, "This is the last gig I'm working on, so yes, I'll let you do it, I just ask you don't screw up, because if I get one call from Carla telling me you haven't done it right, I'll kick your ass. Do you understand?"
"I understand, thanks for the opportunity." He said excitedly, "Take advantage of it, because opportunities like this don't happen." Carla continued singing, but she was looking in our direction, so I made a sign to her I would come in a little while, to which she nodded. I left backstage looking for Jessica, but I couldn't find her anywhere, so I go to the stadium parking lot, where I find her walking around and talking on the phone. She seems excited, so I pay attention to what she's saying to understand what had her like this.
"But seriously, are they going to give her to me?... Of course, I won't back down, but I understood this was taking much longer than it did, after all, I told you a couple of ago of hours... When do I have to go sign the papers?... Sure, no problem, see you in a bit." Jessica hung up and I could see how her smile grew bigger and bigger, which automatically made mine do the same. "Apparently it's good news." I said with a big smile on my face and I could see how she jumped in the air and I couldn't help but laugh, I had never managed to scare her and it's funny.
"Shit Santi, you shouldn't be scaring people on the street like that." She said, putting her hand on her chest. "My intention wasn't to scare you, for the record." I assured "Well you did it." She responded, "Sorry, but getting back to the topic, what were you doing here so alone?" I asked curiously. "They called me from the orphanage and I couldn't hear shit in there."
"And what did they want?" I asked, "I'm Madison guardian" She whispered, looking into space. "Do they really give her to you so quickly? I thought it lasted much longer." I said a little confused, "I thought the same thing, but I get the feeling that it's more to get rid of her than anything else, after all, she practically spent her time in the office punished for something she didn't have the blame."
"She had a complicated life in there." I said with a smile starting to form on my face "Yeah, but that's over." my former girlfriend responded with a smile beginning to appear on her face. "Thanks to you."
"Can you do me a favour?" She asked, completely ignoring what I just said. "Anything" I assured. If there's one thing, I would like the most, it that I would do anything for this woman. "You could accompany me to the orphanage?" He asked and I nodded "Of course, you don't need to ask."
"But Carla won't have a problem with the children staying with her, right?" she asked "Obviously not, she's delighted with them. I never seen her like this with children. Between you and me, she never liked them much." She laughed and that was music to my ears. After all this time thinking I missed the opportunity to hear her laugh, hearing it now made me the happiest person in the world.
"I must assume it's a good thought you are having right now, because your smile is glowing, it makes you more handsome than you are on your own." At that moment I couldn't help but blush, it's the effect Jessica has on me, she always had it and apparently that's still intact.
"Oh, come on... Has the popular Santi blushed? I can't believe it." She said, laughing, "It's your fault, blurting that out of nowhere... How do you expect me not to?" I asked, matching her smile. "Because you're a popular kid who's used to being told that often, you should be immunized against that by now."
"Well, I'm not." I assured, "Now will you tell me why your smile got wider?" She asked curiously "Because I never thought I'd hear your laugh again, that's all. Now one serious thing before we go." I said, "You don't seem like a serious person to talk about serious things."
"Ha. Ha, how funny, Jess." I responded, "It's the truth, since I've known you or seen you cry or make jokes, you've never done serious things. Well, what happened a moment ago, but it's the only thing." She said, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, you know, I'm a very serious guy." I replied, "We'll see about that, you better tell me what's so serious about what we have to talk about."
"It's not talking, just asking you if I can now make the reservation to go to Italy." I said, running my hand along the back of my neck. "You can, after all, Madison is practically adopted." She responded with a shrug. "Great, now let's go to the orphanage so you can sign the papers."
"Shouldn't you tell Carla she's staying with the kids?" Jessica asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll text her, don't worry, they'll be fine." I assured, "I hope so, because your friend seems too clueless to take care of children." She noted, "She's clueless, but she's a good person."
"No one can take that away from her, but do you want me to stay calm with that?" Jessica questioned "Yes, there are many people taking care of her, so they will take care of the children too." I assured "And you don't need anyone to take care of you?" She asked curiously. "I'm not the one showing my face, I'm not even famous here."
"But in Italy you are." She pointed out "No, not there either. My name may be out there, but it's because they think I'm her partner." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "And you're not?" Jessica questioned "No, like I told you, I only have eyes for one girl." I repeated "That girl is very lucky."
"The lucky one is me." I said without looking away from her, "Well, you're both lucky." She said laughing, "Don't you have a man in your life?" I asked and she denied "Not a single one?" I asked, surprised, but at the same time, relieved she isn't seeing anyone. "No, there's the asshole who always tries to convince me to have sex, but no one else."
"What?" I asked "That doesn't count as a suitor." She responded, "Tell me he hasn't done anything to you." I asked, trying to contain my anger, "No, he doesn't have enough guts to do it. Once he tried to go too far, but I hit him. I wasn't going to let him touch a single hair of my hair." Jessica replied, "That guy is an asshole."
"There's no doubt about that." she responded, laughing. We had started walking a couple of minutes ago and at this moment we're in silence, but a comfortable one. But in my head isn't alive, putting together a plan to find out who that guy was and put an end to him, because I'm not going to allow him to get involved with Jessica, not even being dead is something I would allow.
"You know, I think I remembered something?" She said after a while "What? Seriously?" I asked surprised and she nodded. "And what exactly is it?" I questioned curiously "Carla was singing a song…"
"What song?" I asked curiously "I don't know, weren't you listening?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow. "No, with the headphones and focused as I was, I didn't hear what she was singing." I said sincerely, "I understand, but I don't know, it's weird."
"I doubt it's weird, what happened in your memory?" I asked, "We were sitting on a couch, her head down with a notebook and I looking at her, then she started jumping all over the place and telling me it was perfect. That afternoon I had been helping her with the lyrics of the songs, I think, although I was just telling her what I thought of what she had written, and while she was reading it to me, I was writing something that she ended up taking out and reading."
"And what do you not understand?" I asked with a smile starting to form on my face. "I don't understand what she said." my former girlfriend responded, looking towards the horizon. "And what exactly did she say?" I asked, "If she could use it on her next album."
And it is at that moment I remembered the moment when I went to look for Jessica to go to Carla's house and the latter opened the door telling me I had a girlfriend with a talent for writing songs and many more things. Obviously at that moment I didn't understand anything she was talking about, but later when Carla calmed down a little and explained to me, I understood.
"Well, she put it in." I assured "How so?" Jessica questioned, raising an eyebrow and focusing her gaze on mine. "Yes, Carla put it, in fact, she put you as the sole author and the title of the song is your name." I responded "Why?" she questioned "Because at that time we thought you died, and she named it after you in honour of your memory, I think that's why she also named you as the sole author."
"It has no sense." She murmured more to herself than to me, "Yes, it does, why do you not believe it?" I asked "I didn't expect it. For me at this moment the life I had before doesn't make sense and there are many things I don't understand." She sighed in denial and most likely frustrated. "Don't worry, I'll help you understand them." I said, giving her hand a little squeeze. "Thank you, Santi, you're a sweetheart, really." Jessica replied with a smile appearing on her face, "It's nothing, it's the least I can do for the woman who ... has helped me the most in life."
I almost told her I love you, and even though that's what I want to say the most, I'm sure she would reject me, because as she says, she doesn't know me at all and at this moment it's the pure truth and even more it hurts me, I must understand she doesn't remember anything about us together or anything about her life before. I turned to look at her and I could see she had thousands of questions, but it seemed like she isn't going to ask any, which I don't know if it's better or not.
We walked the rest of the way to the orphanage in silence, and when we arrived, Jessica told me wait for her outside, and the moment when I confessed my feelings for her crossed my mind.
Flashback
Today is the day. I'm too nervous and paced around the house, because from today things would change for better or worse, that depended on Jessica's reaction.
Today is the day I'm going to confess my feelings to her, partly because I couldn't stand them inside me anymore and, on the other hand, because Carla had been insisting on me for a long time.
I had agreed with Jessica, I would pick her up from her house, as I almost always did, and once I arrived, I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. "Hello Santi, come in, Jessica is finishing getting ready." Jess's mother said with a big smile on her face "Thank you Camille."
I went into the house and went to the living room. I'm walking back and forth there and thinking about what Jessica's reaction might be as soon as I tell her, to be honest, I don't think anything good is going to come of this, but I had to try.
"You look nervous. Are you ok?" Camille asked, leaving her hand on my shoulder. "Yeah" I quickly responded, "And why are you so dressed up?" She asked with a smile still on her face. "Nothing, it just happened." I said, shrugging my shoulders and trying to make light of the matter even though for me it's the most important thing at the moment. "You're going to tell her today, aren't you?"
"I don't understand." I said confused "Come on Santi. We all realize how you look at my daughter, it's clear you love her." her mother responded kindly, "I think you're…" I tried to deny, "No, I'm not, what I don't understand is how Jessica hasn't noticed, you're too obvious." She replied, laughing "So you're okay with that?" I asked surprised, "If I'm okay? I love the idea; you are the only one I trust that can make my daughter happy."
"Is it that obvious?" I questioned, a smile starting to form on my face. "It's the most obvious thing everyone can see, dear, I think the only one who hasn't realized it's Jessica." She laughed. "What haven't I realized?"
"Nothing, weren't you going out with Santi?" Camille asked, completely changing the subject. "Yes, but I'm curious about what you said." My best friend said with a smile on her face, "Well, stop being so curious and go."
"As you wish, I will find out anyway." She responded with a big smile on her face, "I'm sure of it." Camille murmured, "I love you, mom." Jess said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Me too, be careful." her mother asked "We will do it, don't worry Camille." I assured "I don't worry." She answered this with a big smile on her face.
We left the house and started walking towards the park where no one is. We had discovered it when we were younger and I think it's the perfect place to tell her everything I feel for her.
"You look nervous Santi, is something wrong with you?" my best friend asked and I denied "I know you and I know you are. What's the matter with you?" Jess questioned "I'll tell you in a bit." I responded trying to muster up my courage. We kept walking until we reached the park. We went to sit under the tree where we always sat and I thought for a couple of seconds what I was going to say to her.
"Santi, I have to tell you something." Jess said once we sat down, "Me too, tell me first" I said, "I think it's better for you to say it, you're too nervous and you're starting to get on my nerves." She answered "Are you sure?" I asked "Sure." She stated, "Okay, but before I tell you anything, don't get angry with what I'm going to tell you."
"I won't be angry." Jessica said with a big smile on her face "I hope so, because I don't want to lose you." I insisted "And you won't. Do you want to tell me once and for all what it is you have to tell me?" my best friend asked, taking my hand, "Jessica... I love you, I don't know when I fell in love with you, I guess I've always been in love with you, but until recently I realized, a year to be exact, but after what happened with Amy, I was afraid it wasn't real, I didn't want to hurt you."
"And that's why it took you so long to tell me?" Jessica asked kindly. "Partly." I responded, shrugging my shoulders. "And what's the other part?" She asked with a small smile on her face "I'm afraid you want to stop being my friend because of how I feel about you. I don't want to lose you Jessica, you are my lifelong friend and you're the most important thing I have, I wouldn't like lose you."
"And that's why I should leave you?" she asked "Well yes." I responded, shrugging my shoulders. "And you didn't think about the possibility I might have feelings for you?" my best friend asked with a big smile on her face. "I like to imagine it, but I know that's not possible." I admitted "Why?"
"Because you're beautiful and wonderful Jess. I'm nobody next to you, even the popular ones like you, on the other hand, I'm nobody, they try to mess with me all the time at school. That's hell for me and I only have you and Carla, although I guess now, I will only have Carla..." I whispered and looking away "I have a lot of objections to what you just said."
"I assumed it…" I said and she laughed. "No, you don't suppose it, because it's the complete opposite of what you think, Santi." She said with a smile on her face "Oh yeah?" I asked, looking at her "Yes, first of all, I'm not anything like you said, second, I'm not with the popular ones because I think they're some shits who think they're the coolest in the school and they're not, they're hypocrites and have a big head. I don't like that kind of people. Thirdly, I don't understand why you didn't tell me before they were trying to mess with you, I can do something to prevent that from happening and fourthly, but no less important, you won't lose me, Santi, I love you."
"But as friends." I muttered, probably with a sad smile on my face. "I wouldn't say that exactly." She murmured with a smile on her face and that's when I'm shocked. What did she mean by that? I turned around so I could see her face and try to figure out what she's referring to, but she's looking at a point on the horizon, so I have no idea what she could be referring to.
"I don't understand Jessica." I said, still not understanding what she's talking about, "I love you too. With you I always felt great, since I was a child, but I never knew what I felt for you is love until relatively recently. I don't know, you make me feel like the most special girl in the world, and why lie, that's something everyone likes."
"This must be a joke." I whispered "It's not. I really love you Santi, I wouldn't play with something like that." Jess whispered, "I can't believe it." I said, "You can, because it's the truest thing I've ever said in my life." She responded "So what do we do now?" I asked, trying to contain the joy invading my body. "Do you want to be my boyfriend?"
"What?" I asked, "Think about it, we love each other, we've known each other all our lives, what do we lose by trying?" Jessica asked with a big smile on her face. "What if our relationship doesn't work out?" I asked, "If it doesn't work, we'll still be the friends we've been for all these years, but we'll know how to make it work."
"Okay, but I would like to go on a date despite all that." I said "And here I'm thinking this is our first date." She responded laughing, which made me relax completely. I never thought Jessica could feel the same way I feel, because at the end of the day, she's beautiful and I'm nothing compared to her.
"By the way, before we continue with our date, let me tell you you're handsome, with a big heart and funny when you want. Don't ever say you're nothing compared to me, because you're everything. If the rest of the people don't want to see it that way, then they lose, but don't let what others say affect you, I tell you from experience, because they do it to feel better about themselves."
"I'll, I love you, Jess." I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you Santi, but now let's make this the best date we ever had." my now girlfriend said with a big smile, "We'll do that, but you haven't told me what it is that you have to tell me."
"Sometimes I think you're clueless, Santi." Jess smiled "That's obvious, but why?" I asked, "Because what I had to tell you is the same thing you had to tell me, and since I just told it to you, I don't need to tell it to you again." She said with a big smile "Is that what you wanted to tell me?"
"Well, I can't tell you anything else, because you know everything about me." my girlfriend said laughing, "Well you just made me the happiest boy in the world, Jess." I responded "And that will continue like that. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, first they'll have to walk over my dead body."
End flashback
I really don't know how much time passed when Jessica appears with a couple of papers in her hand, a bag and a big smile on her face. "I really hope you weren't bored." She said with a shy smile, "Not at all." I responded, "I guess you were thinking of something nice."
"Why do you say?" I asked curiously "The smile said it all, plus the joy came to your eyes. I have seen very little of it since I met you." Jessica said with a smile, "Well, I think you're the only one who could enjoy it in a long time."
"I should be flattered by that." She responded, "Well, yeah." I laughed "And there comes big head Santi." She replied, "It's a joke." I reported, "You may have said it as a joke, but I still think that."
"And what could I do to change that image of me in your mind?" I asked, playing along. "Mmmm... Well, I don't know..." She said, making her finger tap her chin. "I'll invite you out tonight." I said quickly "Wow, how bold…" Jessica laughed "Somehow, I'll have to change what you think of me, don't you think? It's the only way I can think of." I responded even though it wasn't entirely true. The only thing I wanted is to spend more time with her. "I would really like it, but I have to fix a lot of things before we go to Italy."
"Well, how about we postpone our date until when we get to Italy?" I asked with a smile starting to form on my face. "Are you proposing me on a date, Mr. De Luca?" she asked even though I was completely sure she knew the answer "If you want, of course, Miss Leone."
"I will think about it seriously. Now let's go to the stadium, I don't want Miky or Madison to get out of control. I don't trust Carla to be able to control them." Jessica said after letting out a laugh "She'll take care of them; you can be sure of that." I assured, "I know she will take care of them, but something tells me she behaves like a child."
"That makes sense, I think we should go." We laughed and talked about different things. These moments with Jessica were what made me feel better than I ever thought I would after thinking Jessica was dead, but luckily for me and everyone else, she wasn't, and I'm going to do everything I could to help her and get her back. The love of my life.